A statue depicting young Jesus was desecrated in Queens, New York, at the Holy Family Roman Catholic Church. The NYPD told Fox News that the act took place early in the morning. "[A]n unknown individual intentionally damaged a statue by hitting it repeatedly with their shoe, outside of a church located at 175-20 74 Avenue," the police spokesperson told the publication. "No injuries were reported as a result of this incident."
The statue shows Jesus surrounded by Mary and Joseph. There's blurry footage of the assault, but it's so unfocused and unclear. I'm not going to waste your time linking to it. The NYPD Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the incident as a potential hate crime and has yet to arrest any suspects. The Diocese of Brooklyn released a statement regarding the tragedy.
"[A] video shows a vandal park his NYC Taxi SUV vehicle across the street from the church. He then walked directly towards the Holy Family statue and proceeded to decapitate the Child Jesus. The white marble head of the Child Jesus was found on the ground near the statue. The damage is estimated at $20,000 and the parish is looking to repair the statue.
"The statue has been part of the parish for more than 42 years. The statues of Mary and Joseph, which stand with the Child Jesus, were unsuccessfully targeted and not damaged."
An Unknown Assailant Beheads A Statue Of Young Jesus With His Shoe
Father Sean Suckiel, the church's pastor, also commented. "The Holy Family is the foundation of our faith community, and this statue holds special meaning to so many in our parish. This is a very unsettling incident, and those who attended Mass yesterday were shocked and horrified to find out this happened. We must pray for an increase in religious tolerance throughout our city."
Subsequently, the NYPD is asking for anyone who might know anything about the crime to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). At the moment, the situation has reached a standstill until further updates. When we at Wide Open Country discover more about the ongoing situation, we'll be sure to keep our readership informed.
